God bless oceanlover. Please don't feel like you are alone. Unlike your neurosurgeon, I was not given the stats. I was one of the losers of the 50/50.
I had my L2 - L5 fused. I am in worse shape now then before I had the fusion.
I have tried everything and the only thing that gives me some relief is opioids. However, depending which state you live in doctors may not prescribe. Pain management is a joke. They need to call this profession something else. I am 57, and like most, doctors have no idea, nor do I think they even care.